Billings Logan International to General Mitchell International BIL → MKE
900 nautical miles (1,036 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 094°, about 084° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 09 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 55-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:50 am CDT (12:50 UTC). For planning, not a briefing: the legal preflight briefing comes from Flight Service (1-800-WX-BRIEF) or the FAA's own tools. Airlines fly this pair: 1 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.
The route the straight line, the warnings crossed, restrictions, pilot reports and the airports along the way · click a mark for its words
Green, blue, red and purple airport dots are the flying conditions reported there now (VFR, marginal VFR, IFR, low IFR); grey means no report. Red areas are SIGMETs, orange areas AIRMETs, hatched red areas temporary flight restrictions. Map tiles: OpenFreeMap, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Warnings the route crosses SIGMETs and AIRMETs whose area the line passes through or comes within 25 nm of
- SIGMET C13C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 2:55 am MDT (08:55 UTC). Over the route from 250 to 280 nm out.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120655 MKCC WST 120655 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 13C VALID UNTIL 0855Z SD FROM 50NW DPR-30ESE DPR-20SE RAP-50WNW RAP-50NW DPR AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL300.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist), from 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC). Over the first 540 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft, from 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC). Over the first 120 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist), from 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC). Near the route, at the departure end.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft, from 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 60 to 130 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground), from 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 110 to 170 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft, from 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC). Near the route, 150 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground), from 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 670 to 830 nm out.
A SIGMET warns of weather hazardous to all aircraft; an AIRMET of weather that matters to small aircraft and to flying without instruments. "From 60 to 180 nm out" is measured along the route from BIL.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
Not fetched just now.
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 02:00–09:00 UTC · at 120 knots true airspeed
The eastbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: odd thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 12 forecast points nearest it (BIL, MLS, DIK, RAP, PIR, ABR, FSD, MSP, MCW, LSE, DBQ, GRB). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 230° at 22 kt | −13 kt | 133 kt | 6 h 46 min | 9:27 am CDT (14:27 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 210° at 16 kt | −5 kt | 9 °C | 125 kt | 7 h 12 min | 9:53 am CDT (14:53 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 210° at 17 kt | −7 kt | 12 °C | 127 kt | 7 h 05 min | 9:46 am CDT (14:46 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 20 kt | −10 kt | 8 °C | 130 kt | 6 h 55 min | 9:36 am CDT (14:36 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | −15 kt | 5 °C | 135 kt | 6 h 40 min | 9:21 am CDT (14:21 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | −18 kt | 1 °C | 138 kt | 6 h 31 min | 9:12 am CDT (14:12 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 28 kt | −21 kt | -4 °C | 141 kt | 6 h 23 min | 9:04 am CDT (14:04 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 28 kt | −23 kt | -8 °C | 143 kt | 6 h 18 min | 8:59 am CDT (13:59 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 29 kt | −24 kt | -9 °C | 144 kt | 6 h 15 min | 8:56 am CDT (13:56 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 32 kt | −26 kt | -21 °C | 146 kt | 6 h 10 min | 8:51 am CDT (13:51 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 37 kt | −29 kt | -36 °C | 149 kt | 6 h 02 min | 8:43 am CDT (13:43 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 48 kt | −43 kt | -42 °C | 163 kt | 5 h 31 min | 8:12 am CDT (13:12 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 59 kt | −55 kt | -49 °C | 175 kt | 5 h 09 min | 7:50 am CDT (12:50 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 00:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 06:00 UTC for use 02:00 to 09:00 UTC; temperatures above 24,000 ft are below zero. Heights are above sea level; a height is left out when the forecast has no wind for it over most of the line (the ground is higher). Ground speed is the airspeed less the headwind; the time en route is for the straight line and ignores climb, descent and routing around weather.
The forecast points as issued
| Point | From | 3,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 18,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 | 34,000 | 39,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIL | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 080/13 | 180/9 -2° | 210/38 0° | 220/51 -11° | 210/46 -22° | 210/58 -35° | 230/73 -39° | 230/72 -45° | |
| MLS | used from 50 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 150/23 2° | 190/29 4° | 210/44 2° | 220/32 -10° | 210/36 -21° | 200/48 -37° | 230/63 -40° | 240/71 -47° | |
| DIK | used from 200 nm out; 83 nm from the line | 150/24 7° | 200/38 6° | 220/53 0° | 230/51 -9° | 230/49 -21° | 240/37 -37° | 240/47 -44° | 250/65 -48° | |
| RAP | used from 250 nm out; 89 nm from the line | 180/23 12° | 200/38 13° | 210/38 6° | 220/28 -10° | 230/34 -21° | 230/37 -36° | 250/52 -38° | 250/59 -46° | |
| PIR | used from 300 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 170/22 19° | 190/25 13° | 210/32 6° | 240/23 -9° | 250/32 -21° | 250/38 -36° | 260/44 -40° | 260/52 -47° | |
| ABR | used from 400 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 070/14 | 250/10 17° | 270/16 11° | 260/28 5° | 260/36 -10° | 260/41 -22° | 270/33 -37° | 260/42 -42° | 260/50 -48° |
| FSD | used from 500 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 190/9 | 230/30 18° | 240/23 13° | 240/20 6° | 260/22 -9° | 250/31 -21° | 250/43 -36° | 260/49 -43° | 270/53 -47° |
| MSP | used from 550 nm out; 85 nm from the line | 230/26 | 240/30 17° | 240/24 12° | 250/22 5° | 250/35 -10° | 260/36 -21° | 250/41 -36° | 250/49 -45° | 260/58 -52° |
| MCW | used from 650 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/30 17° | 230/14 12° | 240/17 6° | 250/22 -8° | 270/29 -20° | 250/34 -34° | 260/52 -43° | 260/59 -51° |
| LSE | used from 700 nm out; 21 nm from the line | 230/40 | 240/24 17° | 240/13 10° | 250/13 6° | 280/22 -9° | 250/28 -21° | 250/41 -34° | 260/42 -44° | 270/62 -53° |
| DBQ | used from 800 nm out; 76 nm from the line | 230/33 | 250/30 16° | 280/15 9° | 260/15 5° | 260/21 -7° | 260/24 -20° | 250/37 -33° | 270/42 -43° | 280/63 -52° |
| GRB | used from 850 nm out; 86 nm from the line | 250/36 | 270/23 16° | 270/14 9° | 240/18 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/29 -20° | 290/42 -36° | 290/51 -45° | 290/72 -55° |
The weather now: both ends and the airports along the way public airports with a weather report within 25 nm of the line, one for each stretch
| Airport | Where | Conditions | Wind | Visibility | Ceiling | Elevation | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIL Billings, MT | departure | no report just now | 3,662 ft | ||||
| MBG Mobridge, SD | 340 nm out, 23 nm north of the line | no report just now | 1,716 ft | ||||
| CNB Canby, MN | 520 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,194 ft | ||||
| ULM New Ulm, MN | 600 nm out, 2 nm east of the line | no report just now | 1,011 ft | ||||
| RST Rochester, MN | 690 nm out, 2 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,317 ft | ||||
| LSE La Crosse, WI | 740 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 655 ft | ||||
| UES Waukesha, WI | 880 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 911 ft | ||||
| MKE Milwaukee, WI | destination | no report just now | 728 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,662 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MKE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:50 am CDT (12:50 UTC)
MKE has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at BIL 6:32 pm MDT (00:32 UTC), at MKE 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 UTC)).
Each restriction opens the FAA's own page with the exact area, heights and times. Ordinary notices to air missions (closed runways, lights out) are not shown: the FAA's notice search is not open to sites like this one at this time.
Radar and forecast charts for the regions crossed government pictures, the latest each time the page loads
Sources: the Aviation Weather Center's data service (SIGMETs, AIRMETs, graphical AIRMETs, pilot reports, winds and temperatures aloft, observations and terminal forecasts), the National Weather Service radar, the Weather Prediction Center's charts, the FAA's temporary flight restriction list and shapes, and the FAA's airport file for the positions, elevations and magnetic variation. Fetched when the page is viewed and kept a few minutes. Each leg is the straight line between its two airports; airways, terrain and airspace are not considered. The airports in detail: Billings Logan International, General Mitchell International.